Consumers looking to incorporate a healthful ingredient into their diets may be surprised by at least one nutrition expert's recommendation to eat protein-rich beans. In fact, Nancy Kennedy, a celebrity fitness and nutrition guide, stocks her clients' kitchen shelves with beans, whole grains, fruits and leafy vegetables, after ridding the area of all unhealthful items during her in-home nutritional evaluation.

Boasting such clients as Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Kevin Costner and Steven Spielberg, Kennedy redesigns her client's individual food inventories during the evaluation, but she touts the benefits of beans and has created dozens of nutritionally balanced recipes for her clients. Among the recipes are bean burritos and turkey & bean chili.

“So many of the celebrities I work with are surprised when I suggest they eat beans to stay slim,” says Kennedy. Whether the client is looking to lose weight or just stay in shape, Kennedy recommends a focus on the basics. A healthful lifestyle, coupled with balanced meals and an avoidance of fad diets, are essential to Kennedy's plan.

The menu-planning incorporates healthful ingredients providing a “one-two” punch of nutrition and energy. Beans add protein and maintain the client's energy levels throughout the day. Plus, they are low in fat and calories.

The key to Kennedy's efforts is discovering a healthful version of a fattening favorite. “Everyone loves pizza, but it's not the best option,” says Kennedy, citing an example, “especially if you're watching your waistline. So, instead, I suggest clients try a hearty Mexican Pizza. Loaded with vegetables, low-fat cheese, kidney beans and salsa, it satisfies that pizza craving and keeps you energized.”

Acting Casual

In the latest edition of Strategic Initiatives, the Hale Group (Boston) advises foodservice operators that consumers may be looking for food that is fast, but they also want food that is fresh, varied, flavorful and of a high quality. While fast-food options sometimes deliver on the fast, they frequently fail on the latter points. As a result, the fast casual concept has grown to represent a $5 to $6 billion segment of the commercial restaurant market, with some estimating the concepts will hit $30 million by 2010. Furthermore, the Hale Group regards fast casual as a trend impacting all segments of the commercial restaurant industry.

Quick-service restaurants (QSR), those chains frequently lumped under the “fast-food” label, have responded in a pair of ways. Refreshing their menus and décor, many of these are challenging fast casual concepts head-on. McDonald's (Oak Brook, Ill.) and Jack in the Box (San Diego) introduced premium salads, while Burger King (Miami) has focused on “fire-grilled” hamburgers and launched veggie burgers. Oven-roasted cooking methods and the Market Fresh line of sandwiches propelled Arby's (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), and Subway took the healthful route with its line of low-fat sandwiches.

However, QSRs have another method of competing with fast casual, acquisitions and partnerships. Such relationships include Jack in the Box and Qdoba (Wheat Ridge, Col.), McDonald's and Chipotle (Denver), as well as Wendy's (Dublin, Ohio) efforts with Baja Fresh (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Pasta Pomodoro (San Francisco) and Café Express (Houston).

Not surprisingly, casual dining concepts have responded in much the same ways. Investment proved the course of action for Brinker International (Dallas) and Corner Bakery Café (Dallas), and P.F. Chang's (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Pei Wei (San Francisco). Casual dining concepts also moved to make their offerings more convenient, as exemplified through Chili's (a Brinker International chain) To Go service with separate cashiers, parking and take-out areas; curbside delivery at Outback Steakhouse (Tampa, Fla.) and Applebee's (Overland Park, Kan.); and fast lunch menus at a number of casual dining chains.

Quick-service restaurants (QSR), those chains frequently lumped under the “fast-food” label, have responded in a pair of ways. Refreshing their menus and décor, many of these are challenging fast casual concepts head-on. McDonald's (Oak Brook, Ill.) and Jack in the Box (San Diego) introduced premium salads, while Burger King (Miami) has focused on “fire-grilled” hamburgers and launched veggie burgers. Oven-roasted cooking methods and the Market Fresh line of sandwiches propelled Arby's (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), and Subway took the healthful route with its line of low-fat sandwiches.

However, QSRs have another method of competing with fast casual, acquisitions and partnerships. Such relationships include Jack in the Box and Qdoba (Wheat Ridge, Col.), McDonald's and Chipotle (Denver), as well as Wendy's (Dublin, Ohio) efforts with Baja Fresh (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Pasta Pomodoro (San Francisco) and Café Express (Houston).

Not surprisingly, casual dining concepts have responded in much the same ways. Investment proved the course of action for Brinker International (Dallas) and Corner Bakery Café (Dallas), and P.F. Chang's (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Pei Wei (San Francisco). Casual dining concepts also moved to make their offerings more convenient, as exemplified through Chili's (a Brinker International chain) To Go service with separate cashiers, parking and take-out areas; curbside delivery at Outback Steakhouse (Tampa, Fla.) and Applebee's (Overland Park, Kan.); and fast lunch menus at a number of casual dining chains.

Sidebar: THE IN BOX

On September 16, the Food Processing Center (Lincoln, Neb.) celebrated 20 years of service to the food industry. A collaborative effort of the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and the private food industry sector, the center helps create new and improved food products, conducts nutritional evaluation and testing, and assesses consumer reaction to taste, appearance and texture.

Denis Brosnan has retired as chairman of the board of the Kerry Group plc (Tralee, Ireland). Denis Buckley, vice chairman since March of 1999, has taken over as chairman.

Colorcon (Chalfront, Pa.) has opened a state-of-the-art No-Tox product facility, intended to serve as the company's primary source for the development and manufacture of non-toxic specialty inks and coatings.

Frutarom Industries Ltd., a subsidiary of ICC Industries (New York) acquired Emil Flachsmann AG, which will henceforth be known as Frutarom Switzerland Ltd.

Deasang (Korea) and Enzymotec (Israel) signed an agreement for a joint development of oil-based applications based on Enzymotec's MultOil.

Fortitech Inc. (Schenectady, N.Y.) named Joy Vimalarajah as director of sales and Mae Ng as general manager with Fortitech Asia Pacific . The company also acquired the nutritional premix blending business of Ashland Distribution Company (Covington, Ky.).

Ted Benic has been named director of Field Technical Services with TIC Gums (Belcamp, Md.). In addition, Maureen Akins has joined TIC Gums as a food technologist.

Hershey Foods Corp. (Hershey, Pa.) promoted Andy England to vice president and general manager of snacks.

New World Pasta (Harrisburg, Pa.) appointed Douglas W. Ehrenkranz senior vice president of sales and marketing.

The Solae Co. (St. Louis, Mo.) entered into an agreement with Linguagen Corp. (Cranbury, N.J.) to identify and develop flavor modifiers that will improve the taste of soy protein.

ACH Food Companies (Memphis, Tenn.) purchased the private label retail bottled oil business of Bunge Foods Corp.'s (St. Louis, Mo.) Edible Oil Division.

McDonald's (Oak Brook, Ill.) hired Cathy Kapica as director of worldwide nutrition.

Takasago International Corp. (Rockleigh, N.J.) Flavor Division named Philip W. Russell senior flavor chemist and Thalia C. Kalamaridis senior manager of customer service.

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. (Chicago) named Bill Wrigley Jr. chairman of the board, Ronald V. Waters as chief operating officer, Peter R. Hempstead as senior vice president—worldwide strategy and new business, Gary E. McCullough as senior vice president of worldwide commercial business, and Dushan Petrovich as senior vice president and chief administrative officer.

Interpac Technologies Inc. (Petaluma, Calif.), a contract manufacturer for healthful natural and organic food products, has leased a 200,000-square-foot facility in Woodland, Calif.

The American Dairy Science Association (ADSA—Savoy, Ill.) named Joseph O'Donnell president. O'Donnell also is executive director of the California Dairy Research Foundation.

Barry Callebaut (Zurich, Switzerland) has agreed to purchase Brach's Confections Holding Inc. (Woodridge, Ill.). Barry Callebaut also acquired a state-of-the-art factory in Vernell, Mexico.

Diamond of California (Pleasanton, Calif.) will team with Walt Disney Pictures' Buena Vista Home Entertainment Inc. (Anaheim, Calif.) to advertise the “Nuts About Family Night” promotion.

PTX Food Corp. (Cortland Manor, N.Y.) has announced the approaching completion of its new “State of the Art” 30,000-sq.ft. fermentation facility and research center. The newly constructed plant is located in the Riverport Industrial and Foreign Trade Zone of Louisville, Ky. The new plant has been expanded for an immediate increase of five times its present capacity, with ample room for additional continued growth.

The J.R. Simplot Company (Boise, Id.) opened a new French-fry plant in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. Projected to produce more than 300 million pounds of fries primarily for restaurant chains, the plant has the capacity to double in size.

Deborah McIntyre has been named laboratory manager of rtech laboratories/Land O'Lakes Inc. (Arden Hills, Minn.).

The FDA (Washington) has eliminated the label requirement for packages of snack foods made with Procter & Gamble's (Cincinnati) Olean brand fat replacer.

Bunge Limited (White Plains, N.Y.) appointed Hunter C. Smith as regional chief financial officer - Asia, and Susanna Ter-Jung as director of investor relations and global communications.